Bildad Says God Rewards the Good

1 Then Bildad° the Shuhite°Ianswered°,
2 “How° long° will you say° these° things°, And the awords° of your mouth° be a mighty° wind°?
3 “Does aGod° pervert° justice°? Or° does Ithe Almighty° pervert° what° is right°?
4 “aIf° your sons° sinned° against Him, Then He delivered° them into the Ipower° of their transgression°.
5 “If° you would aseek° God° And implore° the compassion° of Ithe Almighty°,
6 If° you are pure° and upright°, Surely° now°aHe would rouse° Himself for you And restore° your righteous°Ibestate°.
7 “Though your beginning° was insignificant°, Yet your aend° will increase° greatly°.

8 ¶ “Please°ainquire° of past° generations°, And consider° the things° searched° out by their fathers°.
9 “For we are [only] of yesterday° and know° nothing°, Because°aour days° on earth° are as a shadow°.
10 “Will they not teach° you [and] tell° you, And bring° forth° words° from their minds°?

11 ¶ “Can the papyrus° grow° up without° a marsh°? Can the rushes° grow° without° water°?
12 “While it is still° green° [and] not cut° down°, Yet it withers° before° any° [other] Iplant°.
13 “So° are the paths° of aall° who° forget° God°; And the bhope° of the godless° will perish°,
14 Whose° confidence° is fragile°, And whose trust° a aspider’s°Iweb°.
15 “He Itrusts° in his ahouse°, but it does not stand°; He holds° fast° to it, but it does not endure°.
16 “He Iathrives° before° the sun°, And his bshoots° spread° out over° his garden°.
17 “His roots° wrap° around° a rock° pile°, He Igrasps° a house° of stones°.
18 “If° he is Iremoved° from ahis place°, Then it will deny° him, [saying], ‘bI never° saw° you.’
19 “Behold°, athis° is the joy° of His way°; And out of the dust° others° will spring°.
20 “Lo°, aGod° will not reject° [a man of] integrity°, Nor°bwill He Isupport°° the evildoers°.
21 “He will yet° fill°ayour mouth° with laughter° And your lips° with shouting°.
22 “Those who hate° you will be aclothed° with shame°, And the btent° of the wicked° will be no° longer.”

He applieth God's just dealings to Job.

20 Behold,² Godº will not² cast awayºª a perfectº [man], neither² will he helpººª the evil doers:ºª21 Till² he fillºª thy mouthº with laughing,º and thy lipsº with rejoicing.º22 They that hateºª thee shall be clothedºª with shame;º and the dwelling¹ place² of the wickedº shall come to nought.º